Compositions for improving nitrogen utilization in a ruminant

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions comprising NPN compound coated with a bypass agent allowing ruminal bypass of the composition and a method for increasing fiber digestibility, a method for increasing feed intake, a method for increasing somatic growth, a method for increasing milk production, a method for reducing N excretion in a ruminant, a method for improving rumen pH stability in a ruminant, a method for preventing or reducing ammonia toxicity in the rumen. The compositions and methods of the invention are particularly suitable for ruminants that are held in harsh climates and/or at remote locations from a farm.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for feeding a ruminant, the method comprising:
 providing to the ruminant a composition for consumption, 
 wherein the composition comprises: 
 a non-protein nitrogen compound, and 
 a rumen by-pass agent, for ruminally by-passing the non-protein nitrogen compound, 
 wherein the rumen by-pass agent is a coating surrounding the non-protein nitrogen compound and the coating consists essentially of a hydrogenated vegetable oil, 
 the non-protein nitrogen compound is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonium salts, methylene urea, biuret, acetamide, butyramide, dicyanoamide, formamide, ethylene urea, isobutanol diurea, lactosyl urea, propionamide, uric acid and urea phosphate, 
 a ratio of the non-protein nitrogen compound to the coating is from 83:17 to 75:25 by weight, 
 wherein the composition does not comprise any cracks, breaks, or flaws in the coating, and 
 wherein the providing results in a ruminal bypass fraction of the non-protein nitrogen compound of at least 50% in the ruminant. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogenated vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated palm oil, soybean oil, cotton seed oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, peanut oil, corn oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, coconut oil, linseed oil, tong oil, and castor oil. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the non-protein nitrogen compound is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of ammonium acetate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium butyrate and an ammonium salt of an amino acid. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition has an average particle size of about 1 mm to about 6 mm. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 feeding the ruminant simultaneously with at least one feed selected from the group consisting of corn, silage, alfalfa silage, mixed hay, and grains. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of the composition administered is 0.0001% to 1% of the ruminant's body weight. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method increases somatic growth in the ruminant. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method increases feed intake in the ruminant. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method reduces nitrogen excretion in the ruminant. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method increases rumen pH stability in the ruminant. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method reduces ammonia toxicity in the ruminant. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein particles of the composition are not agglomerated. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ruminal bypass fraction of the non-protein nitrogen compound is at least 80% in the ruminant. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a rate of release of the non-protein nitrogen compound in the rumen of the ruminant is less than 5% per hour. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is made by a process comprising:
 heating particles in a drum coater at a temperature in a range from 10° C. below a lower limit of a melting range of the rumen by-pass agent to the lower limit of the melting range of the rumen by-pass agent to form heated particles, the particles comprising the non-protein nitrogen compound; 
 heating the rumen by-pass agent at a temperature in a range from an upper limit of the melting range of the rumen by-pass agent and 10° C. above the upper limit of the melting range of the rumen by-pass agent outside of the drum coater to form a heated rumen by-pass agent; and 
 applying the heated rumen by-pass agent to the heated particles in the drum coater to form the coating on the particles. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the rumen by-pass agent has a difference between the lower and the upper limit of the melting range of from 3° C. to 10° C. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the temperature of the heated rumen by-pass agent is between about 50° C. and about 85° C. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the temperature of the heated particles is between 40° C. and about 75° C.